First Day with a 60 day warn notice

February 20, 2010
Yesterday was ground zero—when I received the news that I had been given a 60 day warn notice from Boeing; one of a 1000 people to be laid off this round. I'm 50, 5 years away from starting my retirement check. If I don't get hired back within 3 years it seems I lose my retirement medical benefits. This amounts to quite a benefit. I wonder how much this plays into the decision of who gets the bump. I have never had a bad review in all the years that I worked at Boeing, so I was completely stunned when I heard the news. Seems I am a victim of getting re-org'd under the wrong manager at the wrong time.
Yesterday, I was pretty much in shock. Last night not a wink of sleep as I tossed and turned. I let my daughter know last night. I need to call my son and brothers to let them know what is going on also. These are calls that I don't want to make—these calls that carry with them a little embarrassment—the stigma of that Guy without a job.
At the same time, I know that I need to crank up my network of family, friends and associates as fast as I can. I need to make everyone aware that I am in need of their help.
Today was mostly a day of thinking what all needs to happen. What are our money resources? What types of things should I be thinking about with a change of jobs? What new things, masked by my twenty two years with Boeing, do I now have to concern myself with?
At the same time, it is Saturday, and I needed to have a little time to recuperate also. So I got some exercise by gardening, lifting some weights at the Y and stretching in the hot tub. Then I washed the cars once I got home.
Can't stop thinking about what to do, but getting some relaxation time seems to be important also. I have to pace myself for the first 60 days and then for the next 6 months or longer. Making sure that I don't give up all together as things drag out. Hopefully, I can treat this as my job. Report early and stay late, but then get away from it—taking some time off on the weekends to enjoy life.
Also, I'm thinking that I really need to stress working out each day. There are many reasons why I need to do this, from health, getting oxygen to the brain for better interview scores, to losing weight so that I come across better.